35 Pickup Heads Question

Zimmco

Zimmco

Senior Member
I’m redoing a 35 pickup restoration done years ago, and have a question about cylinder heads. Almost everyone I’ve asked thinks that cast iron heads are correct, but one person that I believe is very knowledgeable about 35’s says that aluminum is correct for commercial vehicles until 36. I can’t find any documentation to confirm that, but I tend to think he’s right. Anyone know how I can check this out? Thanks!
 
I am an old timer and I remember my Dad bought a new 1935 5 window Coupe and it had aluminum heads. All went well until my sister and husband drove the 1935 to Florida in 1940. They had overheating problems and finally down south went to a Ford dealer who removed the aluminum heads and installed cast iron. The aluminum heads had considerable internal erosion and changing to cast iron solved the overheating. The car remained in the family for years accumulating about 200,000 miles before retirement and never overheated again.
 
I believe 35's had aluminum and 36's had cast iron. Haven't been able to fully document that yet for the 35-36 Ford Pickup Book.
 
Gentlemen, A careful look at Ford's Chassis Parts Lists and Dealer albums answers the question. "Aluminum Heads were used on 1935 pickups but not on 1936 pickups"

1935 Dealer Showroom Album shows aluminum heads for Pickup, 1936 Dealer Album shows cast iron

Jan 1935 Chassis Parts List (CPL) page 10 lists 40-6049/50-A (aluminum) heads for Model 48 and Model 50 (pickup/panel del.) 40-6049/50-B is shown for Model 51 Large Truck)

June 1935 1928-35 CPL page 34 lists 40-6049/50-A for Models 40,46,48,& 50
40-6049/50-B for Models BB, & 51

Nov. 1935 1936 CPL page 15 lists 40-6049/50-A for Model 68 (pass car)
40-6049/50-B for Models 51 & 67 (pickup/panel del)

July 1936 1928-36 CPL page 42 lists 40-6049/50-A for Models 40,46,48,50, &68
40-6049/50-B for Models BB, 51, & 67
 
So, there is my documentation. Thanks Don. I don't have an extensive library like you and Jerry have. I am certain we would have documented that before press time. lol
 
Whoops...I should have looked further on this post to see that Don Rogers has already posted on this question :).

I have an original engine that was removed from an original '36 1/2 ton PU. It is an LB engine with cast iron heads. So based on that it agrees with Lawson's thinking. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about'35 PU's to say which heads were actually used in production or were supposed to be used in production. My thinking would be that it's conceivable that both cast iron and aluminum could have been used alternately even though the build sheet may have called for cast iron. I'm pretty sure Henry's manufacturing plants did whatever was necessary to keep his assembly lines moving to get the product out the door to make $$'s. Every time I hear statements like 'always or never' when it comes to exactly how these early Ford V8's were actually built, someone seems to come up with a totally original vehicle that is built differently then it should have been according to the 'experts'. Maybe Don Rogers would have an answer for you on this.
 
That is why we are largely depending on original vehicles if we can find them. Then we hit the books/archives to confirm further.
 
Thanks to all who replied...the knowledge on this forum is unbelievable. Now to find a good set of the right aluminum heads.
 
I stand corrected. I looked in my 1935 Ford V8 Trucks and Commercial Cars Dealers book. The photo for the "Trucks" show steel heads and the verbiage says "Special Truck-Type Cylinder Heads". The pickups were considered "Commercial Cars" and used aluminum heads like the passenger cars.
 
Michael, while the sedan delivery is a commercial vehicle, it is designated as model 68-780 and would therefore have aluminum heads. Same goes for the station wagon.
 
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